Students smiling in white coats

White Coat Ceremony

The first stop on the way to earning your MD

The White Coat Ceremony is a time-honored event that marks the official entrance of matriculating AUC students into medical school and the medical profession. In the presence of family and friends, students receive their first white coat—a symbol of bestowed trust to carry on the tradition of doctoring.

White Coat Ceremony - Preston, UK Track

June 12, 2026

AUC School of Medicine invites you to join our White Coat Ceremony on Friday, June 12, 2026. This time-honored event marks your official entrance into medical school and your commitment to the profession of medicine. We look forward to celebrating this important tradition with you.

Row of standing students reading pamphlet

Join Us Live!


Watch the celebration live on the AUC Facebook or YouTube account:

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Sandip Saha

dr-sandip-saha

We are pleased to announce Sandip Saha, MD '10  as the guest speaker for the White Coat Ceremony welcoming our incoming May 2026 class at the AUC UK Track Campus in Preston, UK.

Born and raised in the suburbs of Toronto, Dr. Saha currently serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, Chief of Interventional Pulmonology, and Co-Director of Thoracic Oncology at the University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. After completing his undergraduate studies at York University in Canada, he pursued his medical degree at AUC before completing his internal medicine residency at Wayne State University, followed by a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Michigan State University, and a highly specialized fellowship in interventional pulmonology at Yale University.

Among his career highlights:

  • 2025 AUC Alumni Excellence Award recipient, now rebranded as the Alumni Legacy Award, an honor recognizing alumni who have made significant contributions to their profession, community, and the advancement of AUC's values, and who serve as role models and strong advocates for the next generation of physicians.
  • Pioneering interventional pulmonologist, who built the Interventional Pulmonology Department at Buffalo General Medical Center from the ground up, designing workflows, training staff, and advancing minimally invasive techniques for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.
  • Award-winning researcher and clinician, recipient of the prestigious Heinrich Becker Young Investigator Award from the World Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology for his groundbreaking work in robotic navigational bronchoscopy and tele-cytology, as well as the highest patient satisfaction recognition in his health system.
  • Dedicated educator and mentor, having served as AUC's first Clinical Medicine Fellow and resident instructor, and continuing to mentor current students and recent graduates. He was also recognized as Chief Resident at Wayne State University and House Staff President during his training years.
  • Invited global speaker, having presented at the World Cancer Congress in 2024, further cementing his international standing in the field of thoracic oncology and interventional pulmonology.
  • Deeply connected to the AUC UK Clinical Experience, having chosen to complete his clinical rotations in the United Kingdom during his time at AUC, making him a particularly meaningful voice for the students he will be addressing on June 12.
    We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Saha back to the AUC community in this capacity and look forward to a memorable ceremony.